What is the Official Snack of South Carolina?

As far as I’m concerned my home state of Mississippi should have the same state snack as South Carolina1Mississippi has not designated any “official foods,” including snack foods. The state does have an official beverage, which is milk., one near and dear to my heart: boiled peanuts. The correct pronunciation, in case you need to know, is “bald peanuts.” South Carolina may not serve up more boiled peanuts than any other state, but you can get them, usually in plastic bags, just about anywhere in the state, including convenience stores, gas stations, and road-side stands.

South Carolina made boiled peanuts its official snack when the General Assembly voted in state ACT Number 270 on April 6, 2006.

South Carolina Act 270 Making Boiled Peanuts the Official Snack

AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 1-1-682 SO AS TO DESIGNATE BOILED PEANUTS AS THE OFFICIAL STATE SNACK FOOD AND TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOLS ARE NOT REQUIRED OR ENCOURAGED TO SERVE PEANUTS, ESPECIALLY TO STUDENTS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Findings

SECTION 1. The General Assembly finds that boiled peanuts are a delicious and popular snack food that are found both in stores and roadside stands across the State, and this unique snack food is defined as peanuts that are immersed in boiling water for at least one hour while still in the shell. The General Assembly further finds that this truly Southern delicacy is worthy of designation as the official state snack food.

Boiled peanuts, official state snack food

SECTION 2. Article 9, Chapter 1, Title 1 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

“Section 1-1-682. Boiled peanuts are the official state snack food. Nothing in this section requires or encourages any school district in this State to serve peanuts to students, especially students with food allergies.”